GASTONIA, N.C. — The Dirty Birds got just five hits on Friday night.
Two of them were round-trippers, though, including Luis Curbelo’s solo shot in the top of the seventh inning that provided the eventual final margin in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s 3-2 defeat of the Gastonia Baseball Club in Game 3 of the Atlantic League South Division playoff series at CaroMont Health Park.
The Dirty Birds lead the best-of-five series 2-1 after splitting the first two games at GoMart Ballpark on Tuesday and Wednesday. ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä needs only a win Saturday or Sunday to advance to the championship series.
Juan Santana clubbed the other home run for the Dirty Birds to lead off the third inning. He supplied another RBI on a fifth-inning single to score Rusber Estrada.
David Lebron started and went six innings to get the win for ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. He allowed one unearned run on five hits, with five strikeouts and four walks.
Pedro Garcia pitched a perfect ninth, with two punchouts, to earn the save.
Jacob Robson, Austin Dennis and Justin Wylie had two hits apiece for Gastonia.
Zac Westcott was tagged with the decision for Gastonia, allowing two runs, both earned, in five innings, with four hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
PARKERSBURG SOUTH 26, PARKERSBURG 17: After Cooper Cancade threw a 70-yard scoring pass to Hunter Leavitt and Quinton Wright booted the extra point to put the Big Reds up 10-6 in the second quarter, the host Patriots outscored them 20-7 the rest of the way to win.
Parkersburg South (3-1) outrushed Parkersburg (1-3) 313 yards to 129.
Eli Bartley rushed for 242 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots. Collin Hayes chipped in 64 yards and two TDs.
Jakel Shelton ran for 81 yards for the Big Reds. Cancade threw for 170 — 88 of them to Leavitt.
EAST FAIRMONT 35, BRAXTON COUNTY 6: The Bees’ Rowan Cramer threw for 173 yards and three touchdowns as East Fairmont improved to 2-2 on Friday night in Pleasant Valley.
The Eagles (0-4) did not complete a pass. They did get on the scoreboard for the first time in four games, on Logan Payne’s 59-yard rush in the fourth quarter. Braxton County has been outscored 90-6 this season.
Cole Vangilder, Connor Wilson and Cramer each caught scoring passes for the Bees. Cramer also ran for a touchdown and Gavin Murphey returned a kickoff 80 yards to paydirt.
